Valérie Belin

Renowned for her meticulously staged photography, Valérie Belin investigates themes of identity, artificiality, and transformation, often exploring the fine line between reality and illusion. Her work consistently challenges the viewer’s perception by blurring distinctions between the animate and inanimate, as well as between flatness and depth.

Belin’s work delves deeply into the theme of women, using surface and structure to explore identity, beauty, and cultural representation. In Black Eyed Susan (2013–2023), Belin merges floral motifs with female portraits, creating a layered commentary on femininity and the fluidity of identity. All Star (2014) and Painted Ladies (2017) feature larger-than-life, stylized depictions of women, creating tension between their appearance and complex — yet mysterious — psychological landscapes. Modern Royals (2020) and New Marilyns (2024) further investigate this theme, positioning contemporary women as iconic figures, yet their hyper-real, almost surreal portrayals blur the lines between real and constructed personas, challenging conventional ideals of beauty, power, and individuality.

Belin’s exploration of the tension between surface and depth is most often expressed through her examination of female representation, yet it also extends to other subjects on a formal level. Drawing from mass visual culture—such as comic book graphics, text, plastic tchotchkes, food packaging, and cars—her work mirrors Pop Art’s approach in reflecting how consumerism shapes societal values and influences beauty, status, and taste. In Car Crashes (2008) and Chips (2014), Belin deconstructs these familiar objects, collapsing dimensional space and transforming wreckage, circuitry, and aluminum into abstract graphic forms. These works not only interrogate the inherent nature of objects but also the textures of surfaces, examining the delicate balance between realism and abstraction, and challenging our perceptions and interactions with the world around us.

Belin has exhibited internationally at major institutions such as the Centre Pompidou, Paris; Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne; and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Her work is held in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among others. She was awarded the prestigious Prix Pictet in 2015, and in recognition of her contributions to the arts, was named Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2017.

Belin lives and works in Paris.  Edwynn Houk Gallery has proudly represented Valérie Belin since 2013 and presented five solo shows of the artist's work.